unctuous tone
1
9.3
- noun
- /ˈʌŋk.tʃu.əs toʊn/
- Her unctuous tone made it hard to tell if she was being genuine or manipulative.
Examples
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Although he praised her efforts, his unctuous tone suggested insincerity.
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His unctuous tone made everyone feel uneasy.
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He annoyed his colleagues with his unctuous tone during every staff meeting.
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She spoke in an unctuous tone that felt insincere.
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He annoyed his colleagues with his unctuous tone during every staff meeting.
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Although he praised her efforts, his unctuous tone suggested insincerity.
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Her unctuous tone made it hard to tell if she was being genuine or manipulative.
Synonyms
1
9.2
Too much praise that tries to make people like you
1
8.4
A way of speaking or writing that sounds too sweet and not real
1
7.6
A smooth, insincere way of talking that tries to please people
1
6.7
A voice that sounds too sweet and not sincere
1
9.9
Speech or manner that feels false and too eager to please
1
9.9
A false friendliness that tries to please or impress people
1
9.8
Speaking in a smooth, confident way that does not seem sincere
Being unpleasantly smooth and too friendly
Antonyms
How Insincere
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'unctuous' (oily, ingratiating) directly modifies 'tone' (manner of speaking), so the meaning 'an excessively flattering or oily way of speaking' is a straightforward compositional combination. This adjective+noun pattern is regular and predictable, so a B1 learner who already knows both words would readily derive the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The phrase unctuous tone comes from a word that meant being rubbed with oil, so you can imagine someone speaking in a smooth, oily way. So when someone uses an unctuous tone, they sound too smooth and try to flatter others, which makes them seem 'not sincere'.